Collins Writing Program

The Collins Writing Program presents a model for writing-across-the-curriculum and writing to learn. Founder Dr. John Collins draws from extensive research and twenty years experience working with teachers and students to create a practical program that requires students to engage in curriculum content as they improve writing, thinking, listening, and speaking skills.

A Writing to Learn approach helps students explore, engage in, and apply new information as they write. The Collins Program is designed to, “help teachers in all content areas achieve their goals by requiring students to think on paper. This is accomplished by using frequent, usually short, writing assignments to increase students’ involvement in lessons, check on their understanding of concepts, or promote their thinking about content.” (Collins) Students may be asked to:

• “List relevant information they “know” about a new concept or topic just before it is presented to them.
• Put a concept from the text or another source into their own words – to “translate” it or summarize it.
• Make a connection between a concept from class and something else they know about or have experienced in their own lives.
• Explain how ideas are similar (despite their differences) or different (despite their similarities).” (Collins)

Dr. Collins strives to provide a practical framework where students are challenged to do more writing and thinking without overwhelming the teacher with the impossible task of evaluating every paper for everything every time. His program defines five types of writing assignments with clear methods of evaluation.

The Five Types of Writing Type Description # of Drafts & Evaluation Type 1: Capture Ideas Type 1 writing gets ideas on paper -- it's brainstorming. Type 1 is timed and requires a minimum number of items or lines to be generated. Questions and/or guesses are permitted. One draft Outcomes are evaluated with a check () or a minus (-) Type 2: Respond Correctly Type 2 writing shows that the writer knows something about a topic or has thought about the topic. It is a correct answer to a specific question. One draft Graded as a quiz Type 3: Edit for Focus Correction Areas Type 3 writing has substantive content and meets up to three specific standards called "focus correction areas" (FCA). Revision and editing are done on the original. one draft (save) Read out loud and reviewed to see if the draft completes the assignment, is easy to read and meets standards set for the focus correction areas. Type 4: Peer Edit for Focus Correction Areas Type 4 writing is Type 3 writing that is read aloud by someone else. Two drafts (save) Writing is critiqued by a peer and revised by the author Type 5: Publish Type 5 writing is of publishable quality. Multiple drafts (save) Published work

The Focus Correction Area (FCA) is an element of this program that encourages students to improve targeted writing skills. Teachers systematically ask students to edit their writing for three FCAs for each Type Three writing assignment. Examples of Focus Correction Areas include:

• “Use of a clear topic sentence and a strong conclusion
• Explain ideas with sufficient/relevant details
• Use content specific vocabulary
• Vary sentence beginnings/lengths
• Use end marks and commas correctly
• Include graphic illustrations with labels” (Collins)

The Cumulative Writing Folder provides a structure for classroom management. This folder is a valuable aid in organizing Type Four Writing, where peer editing and revision takes place. It includes a teacher comment key, tips for first and final drafts, and a place to record and reflect on assignments.

The Collins Writing Program promotes the idea that writing improves learning. The National Commission on Writing agrees that, “Writing is not simply a way for students to demonstrate what they know. It is a way to help them understand what they know. At its best, writing is learning.”

For more information on the Collins Writing Program, visit:

• Resource links for Collins Writing Program